Silvermoon
by Lisa Tucker
Summary: Just like all heros, they have to start somewhere.
1. Chapter 1

A lone she-cat crept swiftly through the tall wavering prairie grass. The moonlight made her soft gray pelt glisten softly. She dreaded going into another clan's territory but her own clan was in desperate need so she really had no choice. Silvermoon ran into Ocean Clan's camp. There was a well tended to fire in the center. She skidded to a halt just as three large toms jumped in front of her, hissing angrily.

"What do you want?" demanded the largest one of all. Silvermoon could see his lean muscles under his dull orange fur flexing in the fire light.

"Nothing to harm you. I just want to speak to your leader about some help", explained Silvermoon timidly. The large tom was just about to pounce when the leader's voice spoke up,

"Frineheart, stop! Let me speak to the Flame Clan leader." Oceanmoon's voice was so stern that Frineheart growled at Silvermoon once more but backed down with the other two toms.

"What help are you needing, Silvermoon?" asked Oceanmoon.

"Forrest Clan is attacking Flame Clan as we speak. We are out numbered greatly. I now what good warriors we you have and so I'm asking for some assistance from Sea Clan'', babbled Silvermoon. Oceanmoon nodded and then called to the gathering crowd,

"Creameyes, Bronzeheart and Shallowpaw go with Slivermoon. May Star Clan be with you.'' Silvermoon ducked her head in appreciation but that spark of hope was smothered as she saw three small cats emerge. She said to them, "I thank you now, come and make haste." Silvermoon pelted off before them and felt them follow in pursuit.


	2. Shrededmoon

Battle met there eyes. She quickly turned to the three small allies from Sea clan,

"Just help the ones who need it the most. I thank you and let this end soon." The three cats nodded and bounded off. Silvermoon pelt large claws dig deep into her spin. With a furious yowl she flung the cat off. It was the leader of Forrest Clan, Shrededmoon.

"You! What's brought this battle to us, from you?" Spat Silvermoon. Shrededmoon paced around her, an evil grin creeping up his black face. His yellow eyes were flames of hate as he answered,

"You little bird brain! Do you not remember our past? Do you not recall your treachery- ugh!" Silvermoon was in a fury as she clawed and bit, scratched and wounded. The tornado of the two screeching cats rolled around the camp. Silvermoon did recall on how the history of Shrededmoon and her became the destruction of her clan…


	3. The Storm that Brought History

Speck coward against a tree as yet another branch almost struck her. The wind howled in her ears and rain pelted her, soaking her to the bone. The wind was a hand ripping up the earth around her. She yowled out in surprise when her shelter, a big oak with a hollow in which she was hiding in was jerked from the ground and up into the tornado. She was thrashed painfully about as the angry winds carelessly found their ways through the open felid. She was slammed back down to earth and she leapt to her paws, looking for new shelter. Speck's fur was now bristled in fear; she saw another kitten near by. It was jet black, expect for on the tip of its tail there was a splash of light gray. She took great caution as she made her way to him. Then his yellow eyes fell on her. She crept closer until their noses were touching, they had to be close, and they were under a boulder that was propped up by the hole on which it jutted over. He whispered his name into her ear,

"I'm Shredear of Trees, who are you?" Speck turned away. His voice was smooth and silky, like a gentle spring. She turned back and meowed softly,

"I'm Speck. I used to live in with people, the Eagle Eye Tribe.'' He cringed as he recognized the scent on her. It was of people, the native ones of this land. This was a tribe cat, one of those different ones who lived with people. He had seen their tepees with smoke curling out of their tops as they burned their food.

"Yes, your people died. I observed it as this horrid storm formed,'' was his reply. Speck was a very light gray and when light fell on it she was pure silver. She was this solid color all over but she had a patch of white over her left eye. She lowered her head and muttered,

"Yes, I know. Are you one of those cats from a clan in the forest?" Shredear nodded and said coolly,

"Since your bleeding on your paw right now we could do a short ceremony where you are able to become one of us." Speck looked up eagerly and offered her paw. The wind over head had decreased and now she could hear herself think. Shredear turned for a brief second as he cut his own paw on the boulder. He then pressed his paw and hers together so the bloods mixed.

"Now, we are one. Do you accept it, Speck?'' he asked as he kept his paw against hers.

"Yes, Shredear I do," Speck said as she looked intently at her paw.

"Then now you shall be one of the Forrest Clan. My leader will change your name when we return,'' proclaimed the black tom. They slept the night away then, for they both were still young cats and needed it after such excitement.


	4. Once upon a time forrest clan was

Speck awoke to find she was lying near Shredear, it hadn't been a dream. Her paw ached as she stretched. She prodded Shredear on the shoulder. He sleepily opened his eyes,

"What? I oh!" he jerked awake and twitched his tail as he began to groom him self. Speck followed his lead and asked between licks,

"So, when do I get to go to Forrest clan?'' Shredear stopped and looked at her with a cold stare,

"Today, but we must hurry and if you aren't able to keep up you will not be worthy to become one of us, much less get a new name." Speck nodded and he immediately got up and ran away from the boulder. She easily followed him.

They ran all day and late into the night. Shredear suddenly stopped behind some bushes. He turned to Speck and whispered,

"We're going to go along with a story I thought up, so that you for sure will get into my Clan. You will be a sick cat I found and you're so sick you forgot your history. Okay, I'll go alert all the others." He disappeared behind the bushes and left Speck to wait. She curled up in a ball and slept.

After what seemed for days and forever Shredear finally came back followed by two adult toms. One was a speckled brown; it was tan with the brown spots. The other was white with hazel eyes. Shredear twitched his tail in her direction and said,

"There she is. I told you. Can we help her? The poor thing's lost her memory." The tan- brown speckled tom came over and poked Speck in the ribs. She looked up at him and mowed,

"I'm Speck. I'm not sick and I do have a memory!" Shredear glowered at her. The tow toms turned to Shredear,

"How dare you lie to us Shredear?" asked the tan one. Shredear answered,

"I honestly thought she was sick and lost, Snartalon."

Speck leapt to her paws. Snartalon, Shredear and the other white tom made a circle around her. The white one said to the others,

"We should take her to Rippedmoon to see what he thinks."

"Good idea Cottontail," replied Snartalon. Cottontail got behind Speck and nudged her roughly forward. Speck hissed but marched, this could be her only chance not to live on as a loner.


	5. Death of Smokemoon

They trotted along a well worn path to a clearing with small dens every where around the outer rim. In the center loomed a huge oak, obviously old and well tended to. Speck inhaled the new smell of cats every where. She was herded into a small cave with a single hole at the top where moonlight shone in. A gray cat with swirl pools of emerald for eyes emerged out to the darkness of the back of the cave. Speck felt her fur rise and her ears plaster themselves to the back of her head. The cat had a literally shredded ear. The mighty tom spoke,

"What have we here, Cottontail?"

"It seams that our young friend, Shredear, has found a new pal," mowed a suddenly meek cat. Speck looked at all the other cats. They were cowering and seemed to be afraid. This just made Speck stand taller and lift her chin. Rippedmoon took a step to her and sniffed the air right above her left ear. He abruptly whirled around and pounced on Shredear hissing,

"You dare bring a strange cat into my clan with out my permission?" Speck hissed in alarm and stood between the two toms. She meowed bravely,

"He did not mean to do any harm. If any one should be punished it should be me. But if you harm him I'll do it back.'' Rippedmoon turned on her. His eyes were menacing. He turned away but then whirled around and tried to give the fatal blow, on her neck. Speck was ready. She jumped up and over him. She bounded out of the cave with him right behind her. Rippedmoon's claws dug in to her tail. Speck yowled in pain and lashed her tail so he flew off. He landed with a thud and Speck ran up to his sprawled body to deliver the death blow. She took a deep breath and altered her paw so she scratched a long, deep wound in his side, she couldn't bring herself to kill him. Then as if to finish the show she opened her mouth and clamped down on his ear. Speck stalked off into the shade. Shredear came trotting up to her. He sat beside her before saying in a hushed tone,

"You are now leader of this Clan."


	6. Leader or Apperntice?

Speck blinked and then got up and padded to the entrance of the camp. Cottontail and Snartalon another cat blocked her way from leaving. Snartalon growled,

"Where do you think you're going?''

"I'm going elsewhere, why?'' Speck replied simply.

"You're not going any where; you're our new leader,'' the other cat, a she-cat. Speck sat and put on her most confused face possible. Cottontail sighed but explained that when a strange cat kills the leader they automatically become leader. Speck interrupted to say,

"But I didn't kill him! All I did was wound him so he won't terrify any other cats, ya'll did nothing and he almost murdered you on the spot." The other cats seemed surprise and suddenly became gentle,

"Sorry, young one; we didn't know. But since he's not going to be leader any more that means you have to join our clan, you'll become an apprentice. The deputy will become the new leader, he's much nicer." Speck mowed a thank you and Shredear showed her to the trainees den. Speck found a moss bed and instantly fell asleep.

She dreamed of on pleasant things…. She was back at her old home, nice and plump with the mouse she had just caught and was being stroked by her girl. The wind howled outside the teepee but inside they were safe, for a while, then she was thrashed about in the storm. But this time it didn't drop her, it kept beating and whipping her small gray body about…….

"Speck, Speck, Speck! Wake up! Your naming ceremony is about to begin," Shredear prodded her awake. She jump to her paws and started to groom herself. It was early morning. Gee, I slept a long time, she thought. They made their way to the big oak tree where a tawny tom sat on a low branch. Shredear whispered to her,

"That's the new leader of Forrest Clan. His name is Smokemoon." Speck nodded and went over to the bottom of the tree. Smokemoon jumped lightly down, his muscles flexing. He was all tawny, light tan and his nose and end of tail was brown. He flicked his tail to a small branch saying,

"That's where you'll sit and when they all begin to chant you new name,'' his gaze fell on the gathering clan cats, "You will jump up to my branch and touch noses with me. Then you will be given an mentor and you will be one of us. Is it true you are one with Shredear?" Speck nodded and Smokemoon sighed. He dismissed her to the lower branch and it began.


	7. Apperintice of Forest clan

Speck sat obediently on her low branch, her tail tucked politely around her front paws. In the gathered crowed she saw Shredear, Cottontail, Snartalon and the other cat that had tried to stop her from leaving. They all twitched their tails in friendly and encouraging manners. She blinked a thank you and then Smokemoon's voice echoed through out the camp,

"We are gathered here tonight to welcome a new clan- mate and apprentice. This young she-cat has saved us all. Early yesterday she came escorted by our young Shredear. She saw our old murderous leader and rescued us by fighting gallantly. Bloodmoon is now in our Menders den, about to death." A loud cheer arose from the crowd of strange cats in front of her. Speck felt her ears grow hot with embarrassment.


End file.
